Nivedita and Yogeshwar at The Park, Belapur
Yogeshwar and Nivedita's wedding at The Park in Navi Mumbai fused his Maharashtrian rituals with her Rajasthani customs beautifully
Our series, ‘Featured Weddings’ brings you wonderful moments from weddings held at the finest venues across different cities. Here, bride Nivedita tells us more about how she met her soulmate Yogeshwar and about their inter-caste marriage in Navi Mumbai.
How we met
Yogeshwar and Nivedita first met in college but did not really get to know each other well then. Their love story started in the sunny state of Goa. She shares, “We were a large group of friends and Yogeshwar and I had common friends in that group. We became good friends by the end of the Goa trip. We both loved food, and this common passion alongside our friendship kept us connected… and gradually we realised we were in love.”
Nivedita took matters into her own hands and decided to surprise Yogeshwar with a proposal! “He was more than taken aback!” exclaims Nivedita, adding, “Even though I am a Rajasthani and he a Maharashtrian, our families accepted us and from thereon started all the wedding planning and trousseau preparations.”
Wedding Venue
The couple decided to tie the knot at The Park in Belapur in Navi Mumbai after checking out nine venues. “We went with The Park because it had a spacious banquet hall without too many pillars. The white structure of the hotel and beautiful gardens also impressed us,” shares Nivedita. The couple chose an orange and yellow theme for the décor as those are traditional wedding colours which they preferred, and orange is Nivedita’s favourite colour.
Wedding ceremony
Yogeshwar and Nivedita had a traditional Maharashtrian wedding. She wore a rani pink saree with ornate zari embroidery. “The colour was very fresh and complemented my skin tone too. I was very particular about my Maharashtrian look and would research a lot about how such weddings were conducted, as well as about authentic Maharashtrian bridal looks,” says Nivedita. She selected traditional Maharashtrian gold jewellery items like a nath, bajuband and ear chains. “The most important part of my look was the gajra and chand bindi. These are considered very important for every auspicious Maharashtrian celebration.” She went with an updo and bun on which the stylist fixed the all-important gajra of fragrant blooms.
Reception at The Park, Belapur
A reception at The Park followed their wedding which hosted guests who had travelled all the way from Rajasthan. Nivedita’s parents always wanted to see her dressed up like a Rajput bride so she opted for a Rajasthani look for this event. “I’ve always wanted a red and gold lehenga for one of my wedding ceremonies, and chose one by designer Ritu Wadhwa. I added a green dupatta to give this outfit a special vibe. I wore heavy kundan jewellery and most importantly the maang tikka called ‘Rajputi rakdi’ (‘borla’). It’s the symbol of a Rajput female. This was specially made in Rajasthan and gifted to me by my mother,” recalls Nivedita. Her cheery green dupatta featured broad gold borders which paired well with the rich embroidery of her lehenga. Yogeshwar wore a beautifully embroidered white sherwani with a muted gold Chinese collar and a multi-strand beaded necklace.
Reception at MCA, Bandra Kurla
The couple hosted another reception at the Mumbai Cricket Association club in Bandra Kurla. Nivedita who wanted to wear a gown to this event shares, “I was planning the design of the gown, and wanted it to have a unique motif. I researched a lot but nothing caught my eye. Then one day while shopping I spotted earrings in the shape of peacocks – and I decided that I wanted peacock motifs on my gown because I loved their rich, distinctive colour.” Her designer gave the gown a mint green base, and managed to create this stunning outfit in just 15 days, despite it featuring intricate embroidery in the shape of peacocks and its feathers on the skirt and sash. This was paired with a gold blouse and soft flowing curls. “This gown is very special to me since it has my imagination and creativity in it,” shares the happy bride.
The Wedding Makers
Bridal Trousseau: Ritu Wadhwa
Make-up & Hair: Neha Thakkar
Photography: Two Fireflies- One Camera
